Tamping device



July 18, 1944. T. A. BLAIR TAMPING DEV-ICE Filed oct. 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

July 18, 1944. TABLAIR 2,353,990

TAMPING DEVICE Filed oct. 15, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. J70/72 Q/'Z/Zrlad: y v

Patented July 18, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAMPING DEVICE Tom Arthur Blair, Amarillo, Tex.

Application October 13, 1943, Serial No. 506,121

(ci. vi-1s) y 8 Claims.

My invention relates to a trowel or device for tamping ballast under railroad ties from the ends of the latter; the trowel proper or blade of the device being of length to extend well beyond the plane of the-inner edge of the baseof the adjacent rail, namely approximately near the center of the track, so as to deposit and tamp the tamping ballast or material throughout the entire space between the old tie bed and the bottom of the tie.

The invention has for its object the provision of a device adapted to receive and hold a quantity of suitable ballast material which is delivered in a continuous layer onto the tamping element or blade of the device which in turn discharges the material at its inner end, during the reciprocatory movements of the device, in a comparatively thin and more or less uniform layer or small quantity which permits more compact or solid tamping of the ballast material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device adapted to be operated by a single individual and which can be manipulated by the individual while in upright position and hence in position to more efciently accomplish the tamping operation and to exert greater force in the impacting strokes of the reciprocatory movement of the device.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle or hopper adjacent the outer or handle -end of the device which may be filled with lthe properly graded ballast material and, by means of a suitable opening, is adapted to discharge the material onto the trowel blade during the forward and backward movements of the device; the material being made to travel lengthwisely of the trowel blade by means of the upturned or anged longitudinal sides of the blade, causing theJ material to move toward andv slide oi the inner end of the blade and hence in position to receive the impacting or tamping strokes of the blade in the space between the bottom of the tie and the old tie bed in the previously applied ballast, for the purpose of resurfacing track.

The foregoing enumerated objects and advantages, as Well as other advantages inherent in the invention, will all be more readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, on a slightly reduced scale, illustrating the device in operative or ballast applying position beneath one end of tie whose other endis broken away and the Iroad bed anda rail shown in section.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hopper andk handle end of the device, on an-enlarged scale, with a portion of the blade and of the handle broken away.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showinga modification of the invention.

In the exemplication of the invention disclosed in the first three figures of the drawings, the device consists of Van elongated rectangular body portion or flat metal blade I0 preferably with a straight forward edge Il and provided with side flanges or upturned longitudinal edges I2, I2, disposed throughout the length of the blade I0, for preventing the ballast material discharging `at the longitudinal sides `of the blade; the upper side of the blade thus being in the nature of a shallow channel or slideway for the ballast.

As the device is intended for introducing and tamping'balla'st lengthwisely of the'ties from the ends of the latter, theblade III is of comparative length so as to extend beyond the vertical plane of the adjacent rail and toward the center of the railroad track; and in order that the old tie bed at the longitudinal edges of the ties may be undisturbed, the blade member I0 is made of less width than the bottoms of the standard ties, for example about two inches narrower than the transverse dimensions of the lower sides of the ties.

The blade lmember I0 is of suitable thickness so as to, in conjunction with the side flanges I2, I2, provide a rigid non-flexing blade capable of imparting the requisite impacting or tamping strokes to the introduced ballast material discharging at the inner end of the blade.

The rear or outer end of the blade ID is provided with a ballast material holdingreceptacle or hopper 'I3, of 'suitable sheet metal and of size suilicient to hold the desired quantity, preferably at least, approximately the quantity necessary for tamping one end of a tie. 'I'he hopper is shown'with the two elongated parallel sides I4, I4, a forward end wall I5 and a rear upwardly and outwardly sloping end wall I6; the walls being intimately united with each other. As the hopper I3 is rigidly secured on the rear end of the blade I0, the hopper itself is bottomless, the blade constituting the bottom; the hopper preferably being welded to the side anges I2, I2, of the blade. The forward end wall I5, at its bottom, is provided with a suitable sized opening I'I,

a, preferably 'of arcuate formation as shown to permit free passage of the ballast material. The opening I l, if desired, may be varied through the use of a movable shutter.

The rear or outer end of the device is provided with an upwardly sloping handle I8, which may be made of half inch iron pipe, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the rear wall I6 of the hopper and to the rear end of the blade; the lower end of the pipe I8 preferably being tapered off as shown at I9 in Figures 2 and 3, so as not to interfere with the reciprocatory movement of the device. The upper end of the member or pipe I8 is provided with the transversely disposed hand grasping member 20, rigidly secured to member- I3, as by welding.

The handle I8 is of suiicient length and disposed at a convenient angle so that the user may grasp the cross-bar or handgrasping'portion and slide or shove the device backwardly and forwardly while standing in an upright'posi'- tion, obviating the necessity of Vstooping in an unnatural position during the tampingoperations.

The forward end or wall I5 of the receptacle or hopper I3 is preferably provided with a carrying handle 2|, in the nature of a metal loop whose ends may be welded to the receptacle; the handle 2I affording means for conveniently moving the devicevor trowel from one ltie to the other. v

In practice, in order to' enable proper use of the device, the ballast shoulder at the ends of the ties indicated at T is plowed or shoveled off to the level of theold tie bed, as shown in Figure 2, and the track raised with suitable jacks to the predeterminedgrade line. The receptacle Lorvhopper I3 is filled with properly graded -ballast material, some of it pouring through the opening I1 onto vthe trowel blade I0, which, as previously stated, is preferably made about two inches narrower in width than the bottom of standardties. The trowel blade, which is of comparative length, is then inserted or shoved lengthwisely under the tie until its end is as far toward the center'of the track, as it is desired to tamp material, as for example beyond the rail R, as shownvat 22 in Figure 2. The operator then shoves the trowel blade backward and forward beneaththe tie, causing the ballast material to shift or ow toward the end of the blade where the material is deposited and tamped by the stroking of the blade, producingr a dam against which further material is deposited; this back and forth movement and tamping strokes of the device cause the straight end of Athe rigid blade to firmly tamp the comparatively small quantities of Vballast material; this operation being continued-until vthe entire space between the old tie bed and the bottom of the tie is filled and tamped to the end of theV tie. The receptacle or hopper I3 is of 2|. By reason of the sloping back wall I 6, the ballasting material in the hopper will readily move toward the opening I1 and onto the travel blade, traveling lengthwisely of the latter as a result of the repeated impacting or tamping blows during the reciprocating movement of the device.

In Figure 4, I show a modication of the device wherein the receptacle 23 is removably secured on the trowel blade 24, which is substantially similar to blade I0 shown in Figure 1, provided with the upturned longitudinal edges or Side flanges I2; the blade being of predetermined length sufficient to extend toward the center of the track beyond the base of the adjacent rail.

The receptacle or hopper 23L is shown, preferably, of rectangular form with the respetcive side walls integrally united; the transverse dimensions of the hopper being slightly greater than the transverse dimensions of the blade and the front and rear wall of the hopper 23, at the bottom each provided witha pair of slots at 25, adapted to receive the'anges I2 of the trowel blade 24 and permit relative sliding movement between the hopper and blade.

The two side walls of the hopper 23, at the bottom, are each provided with an outwardly disposed supporting flange 26, which hold the hop- A per in proper upright position. The forward end such size that it will hold enough material to ordinarily lill and tamp the space beneath the tie. The graded ballast material is readily carried under the tie on the blade I0 of the device without damming at the end of the tie and because of the upturnededge of the blade the materialcannot ow over the edgeand jam the trowel and therefore prevent proper tamping operation; the graded material, preferably being comparatively *small in size. 'Ihe properly gradedballast material, distributed along the track in proximiity to the track sections needing leveling or raising, 'may be shoveled into the hopper and the device easily carriedto the place of use by grasping the bale or carrying handle wall of the hopper 23 is provided with a pair of steel or metal rods 21, 21 firmly secured `to the hopper and the outer ends of the rods bent upwardly into the hook-form as shown at 28.' The hopper 23'being of'slightly greaterwi'dth than the trowel blade, the rods will straddle the sides of the tie and when the ballast shoulder at the end of the tie has been plowed or shoveled away, the device will be in a plane which enables the rods 21,'21 to pass beneath the adjacent rail and permit the hooks 28 to engage the base of the rail on the inner side thereof, thereby holding the hopper 23 against movement.

The forward end wall of the hopper is also provided with an opening I'I which enables the graded ballast material to flow out of the hopper onto the blade during tamping operation.

The rear or outer end of the trowel blade 24 is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly sloping handle 29, which may be in the nature of a suitable pipe whose lower end is Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the end of the blade 24 and reenforced by suitable knee braces 30 rigidly secured to the side flanges of the blade; the upper end of the handle-stem 29 being provided with a hand-grasping bar.

The hopper 23, if desired, may beprovided With its own bottom but with the hopper held in close,

relation with the trowel blade, the blade constitutes the bottom which reciprocates backwardly and forwardly with the receptable held adjacent the end of the tie. The receptacle or hopper 23 preferably is provided with a pair of handles 2I.

I am aware of the existence of certain flat bladed track tools intended to hold an indiffer ent amount of material which generally is shoveled onto the tool by an assistant with the material discharging along the entire length of the tool and not in proper position,A while the operator moves the tool back and forth, but none of these tools are adapted to hold an adequate quantity of graded ballast material sufficient to provide the required raising or leveling of a tie; a device whereby the ballast material merely discharges in gradual or small quantities at the forward end o f the blade in position to be thoroughly tamped by a rigid blade of a more economical and one mans device.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the simplest embodiments'o my invention, but certain structural modications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as deiined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters y Patent is:

l. A device of the character described comprising an elongated flat bottomed tamping member provided with a channel-way on its upper face whereby the ballast is directed to the outer end of the member; and a ballast holding receptacle arranged on said member and having means adapted to deliver portions of the ballast material onto the member and permit the material to travelalong the member; the device being provided with a rearwardly disposed handle.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated flat bottomed tamping member of predetermined length and width, the upper face having upwardly disposed langes whereby the ballast material is directed toward the end -i of the member during its reciprocatory movements; a ballast material holding receptacle arranged on said member and provided with a material discharging opening adapted to deliver controllable quantities of the material onto the member; and an upstanding and rearwardly sloping handle secured at the rear end of the device.

3. A device of the character described comprisrial introducing and tamping member provided with vertically disposed portions along the side edges, said member being of predetermined width relative to the bottom width of standard railroad ties; a ballast material holding receptacle arranged at one end of the member and provided at its bottom with an opening whereby quantative portions Iof material are delivered onto said member; and an operating handle for imparting reciprocatory movement to the device.

5. A device of the character described comprisi ing an elongated flat surfaced rectangular ballast material introducing and tamping member provided with upstanding flanges along the side edges; a ballast material holding receptacle arranged on said member in a lengthwise manner, the forward end wall at the bottom having an outlet opening whereby quantative portions of the material are discharged on to said member toward the tamping end thereof, while the rear wall slopes rearwardly; a carrying bale secured to the forward end of the receptacle; and an operating handle secured at the rearwardly sloping wall of the receptacle.

6. A device of the character described comprising an elongated fiat surfaced rectangular ballast material tamping member provided with upstanding side edges; a ballast material holding receptacle arranged on said member to permit relative longitudinal movement between the member and saidreceptacle; the receptacle adjacent its bottom having an opening whereby quantative portions of the material are discharged toward the tamping end of'said member; means whereby the receptacle-may beanchored to a rail against movement; and an operating handle secured to the rear end of the device whereby said member may be given reciprocatory movement by an operator in upright position.

'7. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rigid tamping member pro-vided with upstanding surfaces along the side edges to prevent sidewise discharge of ballast material; a ballast material holding receptacle slidably arranged on the upstanding surfaces of said member and provided in its forward end wall with an opening whereby quantative portions of the ballast material are delivered toward the tamping end of said member; means secured to the receptacle whereby it may be anchored to a rail 'against movement while the member is reciprocated during tamping operations; and an upwardly and rearwardly disposed handle whereby the member may be given reciprocatory movement by an operator in upright position.

8. A device of the character described comprising an elongated rigid tamping member provided with flanged side edges; a ballast material holding rectangular receptacle provided at its bottom with slot-ways adapted to receive the side flanges of said member and with outwardly disposed laterally supporting surfaces, the forward end of the receptacle having a discharge opening whereby quantative portions of the material are delivered onto said member; means secured to the receptacle whereby it may be anchored to a rail against movement during reciprocatory tamping movements of said member; and an upwardly and rearwardly disposed handle whereby reciprocatory movement of the member maybe given by an operator while in upright position.

TOM ARTHUR BLAlR. 

